Electric motor powered sound simulating device



Jul} 1968 5, SPEERS E1. AL 3,394,492

ELECTRIC MOTOR POWERED SOUND SIMULATING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1966 Inventors Norman L. Jacg ues, Samuel E Spears,

67 f ttfys.

United States Patent 3,394,492 ELECTRIC MOTOR POWERED SOUND SIMULATING DEVICE Samuel F. Speers, North Attleboro, Mass, and Norman L. Jacques, Pawtucket, R1, assignors to Hassenfeld Bros, Inc., Pawtucket, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Mar. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 531,219 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-232) The present invention relates to a motor simulating device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toy device for simulating the sound of a motor vehicle, wherein a sounding member that is movable in a longitudinal direction is adapted to be engaged by a rotating impeller for producing the motor simulating sound.

One of the features of the present invention is the control of the debice for varying the pitch of the sound produced so as to reproduce the sound of an actual motor over an operation range thereof. In the prior known constructions, wherein toy devices have been employed for simulating a motor sound, the speed of the motor that controlled a striking member was varied by some form of a manually operated rheostat control. Although such constructions performed the function required, they were complicated in construction or not reliable in operation, and were not economical to produce. The present invention represents a simplified version of a motor simulating device and although simple in construction the device is superior in operability to those known heretofore and reproduces a sound that may be varied as to pitch by movement of a relatively simple control member.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toy device for simulating the sound of a motor vehicle wherein a sounding member is located adjacent to a rotating impeller and is movable relative with respect thereto for varying the pitch of the sounds emitted by the sounding member when intermittently struck by the impeller.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy motor sounding device that is adapted to reproduce the operational sound of a motor by the rotation of an impeller into engagement with a sounding member, the sounding member being movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the impeller so as to adjust the position of the sounding portion that is struck by the impeller.

Still another object is to provide a motor simulating device that includes a relatively flexible impeller that is adapted to strike a non-metallic sounding member, the flexibility of the impeller providing for deflection thereof so as to enable the impeller to move beyond the sounding member after contact therewith.

Still another object is to provide a toy motor simulating device that is battery operated and that includes a manually movable handle that is adapted to actuate the device and to locate a sounding member in various positions for reproducing the operational cycle of a motor.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is atop plan view of the motor sound simulating device embodied in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view with parts shown in section of the impeller embodied in the device;

3,394,492 Patented July 30, 1968 FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing a modified form of impeller; and

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of the device illustrating a modified form of sounding member.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the motor simulating device embodied in the present invention is illustrated generally at 10 and is adapted to be employed in a toy vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, or a four-wheeled toy of any variety. As illus trated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the motor simulating device includes a base 12 on which a housing (not shown) is adapted to be mounted. In this connection, any suitable housing structure may be utilized and can be constructed so as to simulate the appearance of an actual motor. It is understood that any suitable clamping device may be utilized to mount the device 10 on a toy vehicle.

Mounted on the base 12 is a motor 14 that includes a shaft 16 extending upwardly therefrom. An impeller generally indicated at 18 is mounted on the shaft 16 and is rotatable therewith. The construction and operation of the impeller 18 will be more fully described hereinafter. Electrically interconnected to the motor 14 through a wire 19 is a battery 20, the battery in turn being electrically interconnected to a terminal 22 through a wire 23. The motor 14 is electrically interconnected by a wire 25 to a terminal 24 that is spaced from the terminal 22 and as shown in FIG. 2, the terminals 22 and 24 are mounted on brackets 26 and 27 respectively that are fixed to the base 12 and extend upwardly therefrom. As will be described, the terminal 22 includes a flexible conductor portion 29 that bridges the space between the terminals 22 and 24 and is sufficiently flexible so as to be movable out of contact with the terminal 24 to break the circuit between the terminals when the device is in the off position. As will be described, a manually operable member is employed for engaging the conductor portion 29 for moving it to the dotted line position as seen in FIG. 1 for breaking the circuit to the motor 14.

Joined to the base and extending upwardly with respect thereto is a vertical support wall 28 which as seen in FIG. 1 is offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base 12. Fixed to one side of the support wall 28 adjacent to the upper end thereof are spaced track members 30 and 32 that cooperate with the support wall to define a track therebetween. Located in the track defined by the track members 30 and 32 and the wall 28 is a longitudinally movable slide 34 to which a manually operable handle 36 is pinned as indicated at 38. The handle 36 is pivotally secured to the support wall 28 by a pivot connection 4t) and is provided with a slot 42 through which the pivot connection extends, the slot 42 providing for limited sliding movement of the handle 36 with respect to the wall 28 during pivotal movement of the handle. Since the wall 28 is fixedly joined to the base 12, it is seen that pivotal movement of the handle 36 will result in a corresponding longitudinal movement of the slide 34. As seen in FIG. 2, the handle 36 extends between the support members 30 and 32 which are spaced apart to provide for the movement of the handle. In order to accommodate movement of the pin 38 with the handle 36, the uppermost end of the wall 28 is formed with a notch 42 as seen, particularly in FIG. 1.

As will be described, the handle 36 not only controls the movement of the slide 34 for producing the motor sound required, but also defines the means for establishing the electrical circuit to the motor 14 for activating the device. In this connection, the uppermost end of the slide 34 adjacent to the terminals 22 and 24 is formed with a cam edge 46 that is adapted to engage the movable conductor portion 29 of the terminal 22. Thus, when the handle 36 is moved to the dotted line position as illustrated in FIG. 2, the cam edge 46 is moved into engagement with the flexible conductor portion 29 of the terminal 22 thereby flexing this portion out of contact with the terminal 24. This breaks the circuit to the motor 14 for deactivating the device. When the device is to be operated, the handle 36 is moved to the on position as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 2, thereby withdrawing the cam edge 46 and moving the flexible conductor portion 29 of the terminal 22 into contact with the terminal 24. The motor 14 is then energized to produce rotation of the impeller 18.

In order to reproduce the motor simulating sound, a flexible sounding board 48 is provided and is suitably secured to the left hand end of the slide 34 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The sounding board 48 is provided and is suitably secured to the left hand end of the slide 34 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The sounding board 43 is preferably formed of some non-metallic material and since it is normally free at the outermost end thereof, itwill deflect upon being struck by the impeller 18. Striking of the sounding board 48 by the impeller 18, will produce a sound simulating that of a motor and upon continuous rotation of the impeller, a staccato effect is achieved that simulates the sound of an internal combustion engine.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the impeller 18 is shown being formed of a non-metallic material such as plastic and includes opposed arms 50 on the outer ends of which solid striking members 52 are formed. Since the impeller 50 is somewhat flexible as indicated in FIG. 4, wherein the inoperative position thereof is shown, the flexibility of the arms 50 causes the outer end striking members 52 to deflect downwardly. It is seen therefore that when the striking members 52 engage the sounding board 48 they will in effect bounce off or be deflected therefrom during their rotating movement. The combination of the flexible sounding board 48 and the flexible impeller 18 permit the end portions 52 to bounce off of the sounding board 48 during the rotating movement thereof.

It is also contemplated to form the sounding board 48 of various kinds of materials so as to obtain different sounding effects. In this connection, the sounding board may be formed in stepped relation so as to obtain a different sound in accordance with the thickness of the material that is struck by the impeller during the operating rotation thereof.

In the operation of the device, the slide 34 is moved by the handle 36 to the inoperative position to cause the cam edge 46 to engage the flexible conductor portion 29 of the terminal 22, thereby breaking the circuit between the terminals 22 and 24 and de-energizing the motor 14. When it is required to actuate the device, the handle 36 is moved to the on position as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 2, thereby causing the flexible conductor portion 26 to bridge the space between the terminals 22 and 24. The motor 14 is then energized to cause rotation of the impeller 18 and extension of the arms 50 by centrifugal force to the fully extended position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. Since the sounding board 48 is now located within the orbit of rotation of the outer end striking portions 52 of the impeller 18, the impeller striking portions will intermittently engage the sounding board 48 to produce a sound that simulates the operation of an internal combustion engine. The sound so produced may be varied in some respects by shifting the sounding board in a longitudinal direction which, in effect, varies the resistance of the sounding board to the rotating impeller. Thus, the more the sounding board 48 is moved to the left as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the more it restricts the rotating movement of the impeller and consequently the slower the beat of the sound produced. It is seen, therefore, that the pitch of the sound produced may be changed in accordance with the movement of the sounding board 48, thereby reproducing the actual sounds of a motor during the operating cycle thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a modified form of the impeller is illustrated and includes a central hub portion 54 having reduced arms on which springs 56 are secured. Fixed to the outer end of the springs 56 are ball members 58 that cooperate with the springs 56 to achieve the flexible effect as illustrated and described above in connecttion with impeller 18. The operations of the modified form of impeller as illustrated in FIG. 5 is the same as that described above.

In order to restrict the deflecting movement of the sounding board 48, a deflector member 60 may be provided, and as illustrated in FIG. 6, is located such that the sounding board 48 is turned inwardly toward the motor 14 at the outer end thereof. Thus, the sounding board 48 is effectively more rigid than that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and when the impeller 18 strikes the sounding board 48 as retained in position by the deflector 60, a distinctive sound is produced. In this form of the invention, the impeller would necessarily have to be sufficiently rigid to enable the outer ends thereof to deflect off of the sounding board during rotating movement of the impeller.

Although various forms of the sounding board and impeller have been described herein, it is contemplated that different materials be employed for the sounding board and various arrangements thereof be utilized all within the spirit of the invention. It is further contemplated that the impeller be formed with extensions of different lengths or multiple spindles or arms can be employed to vary the sound produced by the striking of the impeller ends against the sounding board. In all forms of the impeller construction, the flexible arrangement thereof is desired in that the motor will revolve several times before centrifugal force causes the impeller ends to be extended, thus the motor may achieve full speed before resistance of rotation caused by the striking of the impeller against the sounding board is produced.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy device for simulating the sound of a motor vehicle, a base motor mounted on said base and including a shaft to which an impeller is connected for rotation with said shaft, a non-rigid sounding member located ad jacent to said impeller periodically engaged by said impeller to produce a sound simulating that of a motor, and means for longitudinally adjusting said sounding member to vary the position thereof with respect to said impeller, thereby varying the resistance of said sounding member to said impeller for producing a variation in pitch of the sounds emitted by said sounding member, when being struck by said impeller.

2. In a toy device as set forth in claim 1, said adjustable moving means being movable in a longitudinal direction for moving said sounding member in a corresponding longitudinal direction.

3. In a toy device as set forth in claim 1, means interconnected with said moving means and movable therewith for engaging an electrical switch that is electrically interconnected to said motor, said sounding member being constructed and located such that when said moving means has engaged said switch for disconnecting the electrical circuit to said motor the resistance of said sounding memher to movement of said impeller is at a minimum.

4. In a toy device as set forth in claim 3, said moving means including a slide member and a pivotally mounted handle connected to said slide member, said handle being manually pivoted for moving said slide member in a longitudinal direction, thereby moving said sounding member a corresponding linear distance.

5. In a toy device as set forth in claim 1, at least a portion of said impeller being flexible so as to enable the impeller to deflect upon contact with said sounding member, the deflection of said impeller providing for movement thereof beyond said sounding member after contact therewith.

6. In a toy device as set forth in claim 5, said impeller being of a flexibility non-metallic material and including a relatively rigid striking portion located on an outer end thereof.

7. In a toy device as set forth in claim 5, said impeller including a rigid inner portion to which a flexible spring member is joined, and a relatively rigid striking portion joined to said spring member and defining the outer end of said impeller.

8. In a toy device as set forth in claim 1, said sounding member including a flexible, non-metallic portion with which said impeller engages.

9. In a toy device as set forth in claim 8, a deflector located adjacent to said sounding member for engagement therewith and for changing the location of said sounding member with respect to said impeller, wherein a variation in pitch is produced when said impeller strikes the sounding member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,151,866 10/1964 Glass et al 46244 X 3,315,407 4/1967 Case et al 46-232 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TOY DEVICE FOR SIMULATING THE SOUND OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, A BASE MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND INCLUDING A SHAFT TO WHICH AN IMPELLER IS CONNECTED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID SHAFT, A NON-RIGID SURROUNDING MEMBER LOCATED ADJACENT TO SAID IMPELLER PERIODICALLY ENGAGED BY SAID IMPELLER TO PRODUCE A SOUND SIMULATING THAT OF A MOTOR, AND MEANS FOR LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTING SAID SOUNDING MEMBER TO VARY 